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The Endowment for Human Development
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The Morula and Blastocyst


5 days

From The Biology of Prenatal Development.Buy Now

Script: By 3 to 4 days after fertilization, the dividing cells of the embryo assume a spherical shape and the embryo is called a morula.

By 4 to 5 days, a cavity forms within this ball of cells and the embryo is then called a blastocyst.

The cells inside the blastocyst are called the inner cell mass and give rise to the head, body, and other structures vital to the developing human.

All ages referenced to fertilization, not last menstrual period.
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Fertilization 2
Fertilization 2
Cell Division
Cell Division
The Morula and Blastocyst
The Morula and Blastocyst
3 Billion Base Pairs per Cell
3 Billion Base Pairs per Cell
Amnion and Germ Layers
Amnion and Germ Layers
Early Embryonic Development
Early Embryonic Development
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